Squeezed out of Boston, veteran defenseman Andrew Ference is returning to his native Edmonton.
Ference has signed a four-year, $13 million contract with the Oilers, who will be hoping the 34-year-old will bring defensive responsibility and leadership to a young, talent-laden team that badly needs to step out of rebuilding mode.
Ference won a Stanley Cup with the Bruins in 2011, but with the salary cap falling to $64.3 million and young d-men Dougie Hamilton, Torey Krug and Matt Bartkowski expected to be regulars in the Boston lineup next season, his departure was no surprise.